MARIETTA — For years, Cobb residents have embraced their childlike spirit by marveling at circus acts, lining up for thrill rides and eating carnival food — all as an effort to enable Shriners to support children’s hospitals.

The festivities begin with Friday’s “SNEAK-A-PEEK-RIDE-A-THON,” which serves as an opening day for the carnival with food vendors.

For $15 that day, patrons will enjoy an unlimited number of turns on the 35 rides, including the Tilt-A-Whirl, the Wacky Worm roller coaster and the Wade Shows Attraction’s Giant Wheel, a Ferris wheels that spins high above the midway.

New this year will be the Miss Shrine Circus Beauty Pageant, which will be Friday at 6 p.m.

Nan Wages has been collecting entry fees for the pageant to raise funds for the beautification of the Atlanta temple. Her husband, Bill, has been a Shriner since 1997.

The pageant will be divided into seven age groups, from the Tiny Miss category for 3- to 4-year-old girls to the Miss Shrine Circus group of 18- to 24-year-old women.

There will be a title placement given for each category, as well as an overall Miss Photogenic selected from a photograph submitted for judging, Wages said.

Each group is allotted 30 minutes of stage time, and the focus will be on the contestants’ formal wear, Wages said.

On Tuesday, Wages was still collecting entry fees for families entering their children. The cost is $65 in advance or $75 at the door to participate.

The circus and fair will see a return of a petting zoo and the crowd favorite, Red Devil Clowns.

Richard Burke of Buford, this year’s president of the Yaarab Shrine, said the group of Shriners donning clown makeup and costumes on the weekends should be 20 to 25 strong.

“We of course are famous for our circus clowns,” said Burke, who has walked the circus midway in costume a couple of times in his 11 years as a Shriner.

Under the big top at this year’s Yaarab Shrine Circus & Fair, guests will see the return of Doug Terranova’s Big Cat Extravaganza, which shows the natural behavior of the tigers on command.

Patty Zerbini will also demonstrate her skills working with both Asian and African elephants in the arena.

This year also comes with many new acts.

For the first time in Marietta, Rick Wallenda of the world-famous Wallenda Family will be walking a tight rope.

Also performing high above the arena for crowds each day will be Robinson Cortes completing trapeze and aerial stunts.

Daredevil Shawn Ives, who for 30 years has perfected motorcycle jumps and summersaults, will be on hand as well.

Volunteers join the circus

The Yaarab Shrine Circus & Fair is not only dedicated to providing a fun family event for Cobb residents, but also helping children.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is a health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing specialty pediatric care, innovative research and teaching programs.

Children up to the age of 18 with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lips or palates are eligible for admission and receive care in a family-centered environment with no financial obligation to patients or families.

Burke said the Yaarb Shrine in Atlanta has 4,000 members from north Georgia with about 900 people volunteering at the weeklong event, selling food and taking tickets.

On Tuesday afternoon, Burke said 150 of the volunteers were already camping at the site to help set up the infrastructure of the circus rides and vendors.

To Deb Robinson- As the wife of a Shriner, I totally disagree with you. Just take a trip to one of our hospitals or meet one of the Shrine children and you will change your tune.

Deb Robinson

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May 14, 2014

1)That would be an Asian elephant.

2) Even if the behaviors (tricks) of the tigers were remotely "natural behaviors," there is nothing natural about being forced to do them "on command."

3) That last sentence is a joke. Operational funds, raised by this circus, go to parties and entertainment for the Shriners. There is no connection between the circus and funding the hospitals, and it is simply lousy journalism to allow these Shriners to pretend that there is a connection.

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